One Hundred Moments Shared Over Time
by Pickles the Great
Summary: 100 Original, never before seen Royai themes. Taking suggestions. Fifty-Four: Flesh Wound. They both had parts missing from their bodies.
1. Phone Call

Royai themes are done to death.

So I'm gonna make my OWN.

Really, whatever pops into my head I think is relevant, I will write. If you have suggestions, let me know.

It's also because I have no ideas for my fics Nutcracker and Shark. DEATHDEATHDEATHDEATHDEATHDEATHDEATH.

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**Theme One: Phone call**

"Hello?"

"Colonel Mustang?"

"This is he."

"We're calling about an admission to our hospital."

_Pause._ "Alright. Whose?"

"A Miss Riza Hawkeye, She… well, she…"

"She _what_?"

"She's… well she was found collapsed on a street corner three blocks away from the military base,"

_Click_

"She keeps saying 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry', C-Colonel Mustang? Hello? Are you there? Colonel?"

**&&&**

So this is basically filler fodder. Whee!

Disclaimers.


	2. Horse Drawn Carriage

Writers block crumbles under the weight of drabbles.

Win.

**&&&**

**Theme Two: Horse-Drawn Carriage**

"I hate rain." Roy scowled.

"It's not rain, its snow," Riza reminded him, "And quit being such a sissy. A little cold is good now and then."

Roy laughed humorlessly, which manifested itself as a cloud of chilly fog. "Snow, rain, what's the difference? And it's not the cold. I just don't like all the snow. It's all wet."

"What's wrong with snow? It's nice. And look at all the happy people." Correction: Happy _couples_. Everywhere there were men and women enjoying the season, arm in arm, heads together in the cold. Roy imagined how it must look, him and his female lieutenant, walking together in the snow. But of course, they were merely walking home together, trying to beat the chill. But, he thought, looking at her with her cheeks tinged pink and her hair drizzled with bits of snow; it wouldn't be that hard to believe. A handsome man and an attractive woman walking together at this time of year, what was one supposed to think? He heard thick, echoing clopping sounds down the street and turned to look out of sheer curiosity. A man in a dark winter coat was holding the reins to a horse, trailing a veiled cart behind him. Roy smiled and hailed him over. The horse stopped right in front of him and he ushered Riza in. "What're you doing?" She half-laughed half-scolded. "It's too cold to walk in this weather. Get in, get in." Once they were inside and he had told the driver where to go, he leaned back and smiled at her. She was still confused, brushing snow out of her hair. "Remember the last time we traveled by horse?" He asked, helping her along. She smiled. "Yes, if I recall it involved heavy amounts of child abuse." He scowled. "It's called discipline. And still, the point was it was a nice ride. It's a rare thing, you in a skirt…"

**&&&**

This one is because in the manga, when he and Riza went to meet Ed and Al they traveled by a horse drawn cart. And hey, 'tis the season, right?


	3. Miscommunication

MY INTERNET FAILS AT EXISTENCE!

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**Theme Three: ****Miscommunication**

"Who's a good boy?" Hawkeye cooed in front of his desk. Roy froze and looked up at her. The entire room fell silent.

"Er…"

"That's right, who's my handsome little man?" He then smiled into his hand, which had been resting on his cheek. "Why I'm flattered, Lieutenant, really, but-"

She picked up the black puppy and cradled him over her shoulder, smoothing the hair down on his head. She looked up, surprised.

"Did you say something, Colonel?"

Havoc burst out laughing.

**&&&**

Mini-crackfic. This idea has actually been in my head for a while. It's kinda funny, huh? I can really imagine it happening.


	4. Same Color as Your Eyes

This one's a little vague, because religion is very disputable. :D

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**Theme Three: Same Color as Your Eyes**

"Put it down, Roy." Maes reasoned gently.

"I can't." He muttered softly, cradling the bottle. He gazed into the depths, as if it would disappear and reform into the thing he needed most.

"Drinking won't bring her back, Roy. Nothing will. She wouldn't want this." He said softly, reaching for the bottle.

Roy clutched it to his chest, guarding it with his life. "It's not that." He said. "It's… it's the same color as her eyes. It's always been… the same color as her eyes…" Maes looked at the bottle. Surely enough, it was a unique sharp shade of bronze amber. Roy looked at it lovingly. "Every time I drank… it was always like… like she was there. Like she was inside of me…" He took a glass from his side and poured the liquid into the crystal. "We made love once." He said to no one in particular, trying to make sense of himself. "Just once. We were talking… and we felt like neither of us was truly alive, you know? So we just wanted to feel something…" He took a deep swig of the stinging liquid and he could have sworn the day afterwards that he could feel soft warm arms encircling his shoulders.

**&&&**

I always thought that in the anime all the various alcoholic drinks Roy had were all some sort of brownish-reddish amber thing. COINCIDEEEEENCE?

NO.


	5. Loss of a Chess Game

I want to get rid of some of these, but I can't decide which ones to get rid of!

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**Theme Five: Loss of a Chess Game**

"_What_?"

"_Who_?"

"The Colonel_ lost_?"

"At a _chess game_?"

"To someone _other _than General Grumman?"

"Yeah," Breda nodded fervently, looking around. The Colonel was behind his desk, his arms crossed, clearly pouting. "Looks like he's taking it pretty hard."

"Who beat him?" Asked Fuery wildly, this was unheard of at East H.Q. "How did this happen?"

"She _cheated_, that's how this happened." Mustang said loudly, he had obviously heard their entire conversation and was sulking. "I don't know how, but she cheated. And she won't give me a rematch…"

"Now Colonel, no one likes a sore loser." Hawkeye spoke calmly, but Roy could feel the smile concealed in her voice. "I guess it just runs in my family, that's all." No one understood this comment but Roy, and this irked him to no end. The fact that the entire Grumman line could beat him at chess in their sleep was something he would never get over.

**&&&**

I like to think that Riza inherited some of her Grandfather's chess skills. Thankfully though, none of his looks.


	6. Old House

Just really bored, the Giants game isn't on 'til later.

**&&&**

**Theme Six: Old House**

"This place gives me the creeps…" A seventeen-year-old Roy Mustang said, looking both ways before he ascended the stairs. "How on earth do you live here?"

"You get used to it," Said Riza. She spoke clearly as if to a child even though she was a good three years his junior. "Don't worry, it's not as bad as all that." Roy looked around, the outside was going to the dogs, but the inside was immaculate and clean. He imagined it was the small girl in front of him who was responsible for the state of it. She showed him into the plain room that was to be his for the next three years. "The only problem is that it shakes when-"

She was interrupted by a clap of thunder, the kind that shook the whole house to its foundation. She trembled slightly, barely noticeable except to Roy's dark observant eyes. She tried to cover up her miniscule blunder with a smile. "Yes, it isn't very durable in the rain, it makes a lot of noises, but if you aren't bothered by that it's certainly-" Another round of thunder, this one louder than the last, combined with the pounding of the rain on the roof made Riza absolutely jump. This time Roy set his luggage down and came closer. "Hey, you okay? I mean you seem kind of-" Roy paused as the loudest storm yet made the floor underneath them tremble. This time, unable to control herself, she gave a high-pitched squeak and clung onto the nearest person, Roy. He blushed a bit, he was, after all, a boy and being held by a girl was enjoyable, if not a bit awkward since they just met. However his responsibility as a gentleman took over as the small blonde trembled in his arms. He rubbed her shoulder and steered her towards the bed, grabbing a blanket off of the edge and throwing it around the both of them. She leaned in closer to him as the rain continued its barrage on their house. And, Roy thought, as they both fell asleep despite the hell rising around them; maybe living in this old house wouldn't be so bad after all.

**&&&**

Because it must have been really creepy, all that noise in that old rickety house. It must have scared mini-Riza to death when she was little.

And enter Roy, who would comfort her when all the little loud noises would wake her up. Sweet.


	7. Heartburn

I'm so bored right now they'll need a new word to describe how bored I am. So here it is: flibberdegibbedoom.

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**Theme Seven: Heartburn**

There was some sort of pounding in his lungs, his organs were moving simultaneously. His heart was located somewhere in his stomach. He was shaking so fast it looked as if he was still. All he could register was vague blurs and sounds around his head, that was also pulsating madly.

"General? General, _wake up!_"

In his head he said 'Riza…' but in reality all that came out was a dribble of blood.

"Dammit Roy Mustang, _say something!_" There was a choking noise above him; he felt drops of liquid fall on his already bloodstained face. He tried to move but before he could do anything she had flipped him on his back and began pounding on his chest. His body thrashed but he still couldn't move of his own accord. Another choking noise and his jaw moved and she had her mouth up against his. He had wanted this in the back of his mind for as long as he could remember, but the circumstances were less than ideal. After minutes of her vain attempts to stir him, breaths into his mouth turned into wet, desperate kisses. She was shaking as much as he was, whispering frantically. "Wake up, wake up, please, Roy, please wake up…"

_Riza…_

"Please, _please_, you _bastard_, you _promised_…"

_Riza, Riza, don't stop, __don't__ leave me…_

"I couldn't, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I, Roy, Oh _God_…"

_It's not your fault, it's mine Riza, please forgive me…_

"You idiot, you bastard, you can't die…"

_It's really dark… it's really dark and I'm scared, Riza…_

"I love you…" She choked, still rambling "I love you so much…"

In that moment his body and mind agreed on one thing: he had to be there with her. Nothing, not even death would keep them separate after they'd come this far. He took deep gulps of air and his chest rose and fell rapidly. His eyes darted about but he could only see half of the scene, a burning building, a dead child, the other half was a dark congealed mass, he still couldn't move. "Riza… Riza…" He gasped.

"Don't talk, don't talk, we're going to get you to a hospital!" She shouted, her voice was cracked and hoarse. She tried to pin him down but his arms thrashed around, looking to hold her. "Riza… Riza, I need help…"

"I know, I know, I'm going to help you, just lie still!" She sobbed. She identified the source of his wound, a deep gash between his chest and shoulder and ripped off part of her sleeve. She pressed down hard to stop the bleeding but he wouldn't stop speaking, and she didn't want him to.

"I can't see anything Riza, I can't see, it's really dark, it's really dark, make it stop Riza…"

"I will, it's okay, I will, I'll fix it, just stay with me, okay?"

"Okay… okay…"

One week later in the hospital, Roy didn't remember a single thing after he collapsed in front of the mansion.

**&&&**

Flibberdegibbedoom.

Read and Review, please.


	8. Romeo and Juliet

When are we gonna find out what happened to Riza? It has to be this next chapter. They wouldn't leave us hanging like this, would they? I NEED TO KNOW!!!

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**Theme Eight: ****Romeo and Juliet**

Contrary to popular belief, Riza Hawkeye was not the type to secretly indulge in romance novels. When she was small, she used to enjoy making fun of the heroines and their cheesy antics but Mr. Mustang got the wrong idea when he found her collection of books and she never read them again. But years later she revisited one of her favorites, one that she mocked for its sheer ridiculousness. The story of two doomed lovers, who were so alike and yet forbidden to be together. How ridiculous! While she did not believe that 'true love conquers all', silly little rules were no reason not to be with someone you love!

Yes, she thought, sitting in the bustling office, locking eyes with her superior, silly little rules were no reason not to be with someone you love.

**&&&**

This one I honestly have no excuse for, I just was watching the anime RomeoXJuliet and I thought 'OMG ROYAI1111!oneone111!' And now I want to draw a pic of Roy and Riza as Romio and Jurrietto.

I probably will, too.

Check my arts, Woodstock-chan. 


	9. One Night Stand

SNOW! WE FINALLY HAVE SNOW!

YESSSSSSSSS :D

**&&&**

**Theme Nine: One Night Stand**

_It happened again…_He thought angrily as he kicked a pile of leaves. It had happened again, the third time this week.

It was becoming more and more frequent. In each of his conquests, he had transformed the girl in his mind. The hair grew longer, lightened into a sunflower color, the skin became paler, the eyes sharper, and in some cases, the breasts bigger. Each and every time, he had turned them into_ her_.

This time, he had mistakenly said her name aloud, causing the girl to become ripe with jealousy and throw him out. He could only imagine what she said if she was here.

_You're so useless._

Yes, each and every time, he had turned them into the one person he needed most, and the one person he would never make love to again.

**&&&**

Mhmm… interpret this any way you wish.

Hahaha... MoonStarDuchess is going to hate me for this... she says I write them too open-ended.

And I do!

Isn't she smart?

Please review.


	10. Because We Can

If life is so fair… why do roses have thorns?

-Lawl has been hanging out with emo jelly beans too much-

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**Theme Ten: Because We Can**

"I want to go out." He said suddenly, causing her to look up from her book for the first time in hours.

"Again? Roy, you do this all the time. Why do you want to go out all of a sudden? You used to hate it."

He smiled and set himself down beside her, burying his face in her neck and fiddling with the ring on her finger. "Why? Because we can now, that's why."

**&&&**

Set sometime after the manga. I like to think that Roy lives his life by a simple saying: 'Because I fucking can, that's why. Any more stupid questions, or are you done?'

That's how I live. You all should follow Roy's and my example.


	11. Dream Within a Nightmare

Just came up with this. Had to write before I forgot.

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**Theme Eleven: Dream ****Within**** a Nightmare**

"I'm going to sleep." Roy muttered to Maes. He heard him although he was across the tent, and he sighed. "You're really tired all of a sudden. Been working long hours?" Roy flinched at him talking as if this were a normal desk job. Like these human lives were just papers to be signed off.

"I like to sleep. It's like you can escape anywhere. And right now I can think of plenty of places that I'd like to escape to. So let me sleep." Maes closed his book and left the tent abruptly, the flap swaying back and forth. Roy blinked a few times but forgot about it, Maes was Maes and he wanted to get to sleep. But the second he rolled to his side the tent opened again. He turned to ask Maes about his behavior but instead of his raven haired bespectacled friend, he was met with a flurry of short blonde hair and a slap to the face. It wasn't an enemy, far from it. It was Riza. She looked irritated, to say the least.

"So you're trying to get around the facts, Hmm Major? Well I'm sorry, but you can't escape reality. It's the cold, hard, truth. So either get the hell up and move forward to try and make something of yourself, or just lie there and become an insult to the lives you have taken. I'll give you five seconds. Five… Four… Three…"

Roy looked at her for a moment then pulled himself up and set his feet to the ground. He smiled up at her. "You're the only person who can insult me to make me get up, you know that?" She turned around. "And I'm proud of that fact, Mr. Mustang. Now come on, we've got work to do."

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Again, I leave a lot to interpretation. Maes couldn't talk him out of it, but Riza sure could:D

Reviews give me life.


	12. Home Among The Corpses

I'm just so pumped: Volume 15 comes out next week and Chapter 78 could be out any minute. GAAAAH!!!!!

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**Theme Twelve: Home ****Among**** the Corpses**

He buried his head between his knees. Thirty-two. Thirty-two lives taken today by his hand. Thirty-two lovers, friends, parents, children, brothers and sisters lost to the world today. Thirty-two reasons for him not to exist. Kimblee had even come to congratulate him earlier, boasting that his numbers were only surpassed by his own.

The stench of burnt flesh coated the air, the acrid smell of blood-stained sand and last of all, the corpses; oh how he loathed the corpses. He envied them. Never again did they have to carry around guilt or sin or shame or pain. Never did they have to look straight into the eyes of the ones that they love and feel guilt for tainting them with even their gaze; knowing that any small touch or kiss or anything at all would mean pushing them further and further into the ocean of blood. How could he face her; knowing that everything she trusted him with, all the dreams he shared with her and her alone were wasted on him. He knew that the minute he reached her eyes her disappointment and anger and shame would flow through to him like no words had. And yet still she came up to him, offering water and a shoulder and allowing him to make a home amongst the corpses.

**&&&**

Strangeness… hmmm…

If anyone has any ideas for a theme, I'd love to hear them.


	13. What Her Father Would Say

MSD gave me ideas of win. Now thank her!

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**Theme Thirteen: What Her Father Would Say**

It was Riza's idea to visit her father's grave on Christmas. He always hated the holiday but she couldn't help bringing him a collection of flowers because she hadn't visited him in a while and what better time to visit family then on Christmas? So she bent down on one knee and arranged the bright red flowers into what she thought were a suitable pattern. When she reappeared at his side Roy put an arm around her to shield her from the cold.

"I don't think this is appropriate, Colonel." She said without meeting his gaze.

"No one's here, Riza. It doesn't matter." He said, pressing his mouth into her warm hair.

She shifted uncomfortably underneath him. "We're… we're standing on father's grave, Roy. You don't think it's the least bit disrespectful?" He pulled back to look at her. Her cheeks were the faintest pink and she kept moving her hands around uneasily. The way she was acting she was bringing home her boyfriend for her father to approve. He sighed. "Fine. Let's go back to the hotel in a bit later though, okay? I'm seriously cold up here…"

And that night when he made love to her on their rather noisy hotel bed, all he could think about was what her father would say if he saw them now.

**&&&**

He'd probably be burned to a crisp.

And I really can't think of any ideas for my poetry book… so I'm writing these instead. I love 'em!


	14. Do You Love Me?

Another theme by MoonStarDutchess. I'm so NOT procrastinating.

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**Theme Fourteen: Do You Love Me?**

He wanted her to turn around.

He _really_ wanted her to turn around.

He wanted her to turn around from her spot rooted on her desk. He wanted her to turn around and ask him what he wanted her to. He wanted her to close her book, turn around, stop in front of him and ask him if he loved her. Because if she would only ask him, he would take out the key to his locked lips and pour everything out to her. If she asked him, he would take down all his inhibitions and tell her that, yes, he always had and always would love her, yes, he dreamt about her every night, and yes, he wanted so badly for everything keeping them apart to be burnt or torn to pieces and for them to wake up to each other every morning. But she wouldn't turn around.

He _really_ wanted her to turn around.

**&&&**

POETRY MAKES ME CRY!!! D:


	15. Ame No Hiwa No Thank You

Using the school computers. Long story. For anyone who hasn't heard the song Ame No Hiwa No Thank You (a duet by Mustang and Hawkeye's VA's), you must. It is a beautiful song. Send me a PM and I can tell you where to download it.

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**Theme Fifteen: Ame No Hiwa No Thank You**

As a child Riza Hawkeye hated rain. It shook and blew and ripped apart her huge rickety house, and with no one to tell her it was alright she became absolutely terrified. She even became afraid to cry, the tears down her face felt so much like rain. But when her father's new student moved in whenever it rained they would go down to the living room with a large blanket and sleep on the couch together. It was then she began to look forward to the rain, smile whenever she saw a storm cloud overhead because it meant another night alone with Roy. Then later when rain began to symbolize sadness and fear yet again, she decided that if she had to choose, she would gladly go with the day without rain.

**&&&**

'Ame No Hiwa No Thank You' lit. 'A Rainy Day is a No Thank You'. So yay!

Again, any theme suggestions are welcome. (I can't swear that I use them, because sometimes my mind draws a complete blank. But when I choose one I put the suggestor's name in the AN. The last two I used were MoonStarDutchess's, a great Royai writer and really nice to talk to. Thanks MSD!

Review, if you'd be so kind.


	16. Cats and Dogs

Ugh.

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**Theme Sixteen: Cats and Dogs**

Although Lieutenant Hawkeye owned a dog, she was much more comparable to a cat. Calm, cool, collected, solitary, always seen, never heard. Her commanding officer, however, could definitely be seen as a dog; Brave, loyal, absolutely no sense of who's the bigger animal, and lastly, very popular with the girls. But the one thing that destroyed the cat-dog analogy was that the Lieutenant and her Colonel got along very, very, _very_ well.

**&&&**

Oh well, time to take a test…


	17. Please Don't Die

I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE SPOILERS TO 78. I PROMISE. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT I WAS INSANELY DISSAPOINTED ON THE ROYAI FRONT. _**INSANELY.**_

SO HERE HAVE SOME ANGST.

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**Theme Seventeen: ****Please Don't Die**

Every time she was unsure that they would ever meet again, she always told him the same thing.

_'Please don't die.'_

The first time he heard that small voice telling, no pleading him to live, he laughed it off. He was a brilliant young alchemist; he couldn't possibly die in something as petty as a battlefield.

Years later he heard it again, but this time it was less of a plea and more of a command. If he died, she would never forgive him. And of course he wanted to live. He had dreams, he had big dreams, and most of all, important dreams. Of course he wouldn't die. Never did he admit to himself the real reason that he wanted to continue living. Never once did he allow himself to think of the one thing he would keep on living for, maybe even die for.

At their final meeting, it was his turn to ask her, _Please don't die._

**&&&**

I just finished watching Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas on ABC. That has got to be my favorite live-action Christmas movies ever. Jim Carrey was born to play that role, I swear. Also, candy canes are delicious.


	18. War Inside of Us

Volume fifteen comes out in three days. Obsessive much, Pickles? GOD. Just because it's an Ishbal flashback volume and contains massive amounts of Royai doesn't mean you have to OBSESS about it, GOD…

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**Theme Eighteen: War Inside of Us**

There was a war going on outside the brown cloth walls. It was hard to imagine that. How, in something as peaceful as her world, could a war exist? When inside there was nothing but noises of love and soft breathing and calm? How on earth could something like a war happen amidst such quiet?

But no, she thought again, there was a war inside of them, pushing them forward to this point. Two sides, two enemy combatants deciding what is right and what is wrong. What was fucking around with a superior officer? What was taking innocent lives? What was right, what was wrong?

No, the war was not outside the tent, but in.

**&&&**

ANGSTANGSTANGSTANGSTCHRISTMASSHOPPING.

Off to go find something for my alcoholic mother and gambling grandpa. Don't you just love having family together for the holidays?


	19. Together yet Alone yet Together

So crazy… I got new glasses yesterday. They are the opposite of sexyful. I love them.

I GIVE YOU ANGST FOR CHRISTMAS!

**&&&**

**Theme Nineteen: Together yet Alone yet Together**

It had been going on for months, yet it was not an affair as an affair would be defined. There was no meeting after work for mad sex, there were no screams coming from the office after everyone had gone home, in fact they had barely ever had any sex at all. Whenever Roy had her down on the bed (floor, desk, etc.), Riza would twitch for a moment, then shove him off. Roy did love her, more than anything but there was only so much that a man could take without knowing why. So one night when he had her up against his bead, his mouth roaming around her neck and she started to twitch he put his hand to her mouth and traced her lips with his finger. "Don't speak." He whispered softly. "Don't speak. Just let me…" But before he could undo the clasp of her skirt she started shaking, her face scrunched up in anguish. Roy looked up at her expression in confused awe. His eyes widened... he knew what it was.

"Who raped you, Riza?" He asked gently, bringing his face up to hers.

She opened her eyes widely, opening her mouth about to protest, but her body betrayed her. Her shoulders were still shaking and her eyes were wet. He stroked a bit of her hair and she closed her eyes again. "He… he was always so kind to me… He gave me free food whenever I was passing by… shopkeeper… then one day, he… he asked me… to… to come inside, and…" Roy didn't want to hear any more. He pushed her head into his chest and whispered into her forehead as she sobbed silently into his shoulder. He stroked her hair, he rubbed her back, he did everything a boyfriend should do in a situation such as this.

Two months later he was convicted of the murder of the local town grocer.

**&&&**

So, they're like, together, but they're, like, not.

And yeah, Roy got bail. Please, you think he's gonna stay in jail? As if. His pretty little face wouldn't last five seconds.


	20. Left to Die on the Roadside Alone

rizahawkeye28 PMed me to ask me why I write so much angst.

I really wish I knew.

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**Theme Twenty: Left to Die on the Roadside Alone**

Riza cursed herself for being so stupid. She had allowed it all to happen, didn't tell Roy where she was going, let Hayate walk free without a leash, only took one gun and had her mind lost in thought. Her body shook and yet she did not cry. She would not waste any tears on herself. Instead she would close her eyes and think of the one person she would love to miraculously appear on the roadside where she lay.

_'An __Ishbalan__ Child.__ He was shot and left on the roadside alone.'_

Riza closed her eyes and turned her head to rest in the pool of blood. _How fitting_ she thought.

**&&&**

Giants win this game they're in the playoffs. PRAY!

I really feel like sleeping now.


	21. Matters of Perception

I am so swamped with random crap. Hooray for procrastination!

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**Theme Twenty-One: ****Matter of Perception**

There were many guesses from the staff of Headquarters as to what went on after hours when the doors to the Mustang office were closed. When gossip was scarce or when the occasion warranted, they made a game out of it: Whoever guessed it first won. However, since there was positively no way to find out the correct answers, the game was short-lived. One young private was ready to bet his life that there was something dirty going on in there, it was Colonel Mustang after all. And he would do anything in his power to prove it to the charming Sergeant he hoped to impress. She, however, was sure that her idol, First Lieutenant Hawkeye would never participate in something so shameful, and flatly denied it time and time again. She was sure they were going over strategies, perhaps making arrangements for tomorrow's schedule. So one day, when there was absolutely nothing to do and they had fallen back on their old standby, they pressed their ears to the door to settle what had irked them for so long.

"Your move, Lieutenant."_ Click._

"I believe that would be a checkmate, Colonel."

"Wha-"

"See for yourself."

There was a moment of silence that followed this, ending with a curse. "I believe there was talk of a penalty game, Colonel?" A sigh. "Yes, I suppose there was. So what is it you want this time, Hawkeye?"

"Hmm…" The Private leaned closer to the door. The Sergeant's eyes widened. "Well, I was thinking something more… exciting."

"Hmm… like almost getting caught? Yes, that would be interesting…"

Private Schwischter grinned.

"Very much so. I was thinking somewhere very obvious… a closet?"

Sergeant Valentine gaped.

"Or how about right here? You look _very_ nice today, Lieutenant…"

Well, as it seemed the Private was right, and neither of them wishing to hear anything more, they, for lack of a better term, bolted.

Riza smiled. "That should stop them from listening at our door."

Roy leaned forward. "Was that what we were doing? I was just considering it foreplay…"

She sighed, removing her clip to allow her blonde hair to flow freely upon the desk she was currently pinned to. "Call it what you want Colonel, just hurry before they get back."

**&&&**

Really freaked out. That can happen when you watch Boston Legal.


	22. Confess to Me

Perhaps… but perhaps not.

**&&&**

**Theme Twenty-One: Confess to Me**

It looked to any who may have stumbled upon it that it was a touching scene. A beautiful blonde, with her long hair cascading down to brush the forehead of the man who rested in her lap, stroking his dark hair and whispering words of comfort. It should have been a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, this woman had just interrupted this man's suicide attempt. She was drying his tears with the tips of her fingers. He was stroking her hair between his thumbs. Every so often she would bend forward and kiss his lips gently, all the while whispering to him.

"Don't think about things like that, Roy, you really shouldn't."

"Why should I live, Riza? Why do all the evil people live while the good people die…"

"You're not evil, Roy, you're not…"

"What I did… everything I did…"

"You wouldn't feel badly about it if you were evil. You know that."

"There's nothing I can do… nothing will bring those people back…"

"You can make sure nothing like that ever happens again. But to do that you need to live, Roy…"

"Will you stay with me, Riza? You won't leave, will you? Please don't, I need you, Riza…"

"I won't leave, Roy. I promise you that I'll never leave. I promise…"

That's why, when the enemy bullet found Roy's head, Riza promised she'd be there right beside him.

**&&&**

I think that's the reason she's so dedicated to Roy. He'd totally fall apart without her.


	23. Not So Innocent OR First Kiss

Why, yes, I did finish my book, thanks for asking. And yes, I did do it all the night before it was due.

**&&&**

**Theme Twenty-Three: ****Not So Innocent/First Kiss**

"Now when you say 'leaving', you mean,"

"I mean I'm leaving, Riza. I won't be coming back."

"Mr. Mustang, I really think,"

Roy put a hand to her shoulder, which silenced her instantly. "I know you're worried, Riza. But I've made my decision. I want to help people. And right now all the resources I need to do that are in the military. Whatever happens because of my decision is my responsibility."

Riza bit her lip. "You're… you're sure… you're sure you don't want to tell Father? He'll wonder where you are…"

"I know your father's opinions on the military," Roy smiled, "So I don't think I'll be telling him just yet. Once I get my license I'll come back, tell him my decision, and then hopefully run fast enough so that he can't catch me." Riza laughed slightly, even though she knew none of that was possible. She was aware of her father's deteriorating health condition, he wouldn't be alive long enough to reprimand Roy for his actions. Even so, she smiled and looked up at him, hoping to see some reassurance, some sign that he would come back, maybe back for her. He looked down at her fondly, but didn't make a move except for to leave. He wasn't trying to be rude or noble or anything like that; he was sure that if he had to look in her eyes for one more moment then he wouldn't be able to leave. He was halfway down the front walk before a small voice called out behind him.

"Mr. Mustang! _Mr. Mustang!"_

He turned around just in time to watch her stop to rest just behind him, panting and gasping for breath. She had obviously chased after him with her small little legs.

"You… forgot… wanted… to give you…"

He blinked. "Wanted to give me what?" She had caught her breath, and drew herself to full height (He was, of course, a full foot taller than she was) and kissed him firmly on the lips. Roy was shocked. He had always thought of his teachers daughter as little innocent Riza, who wasn't allowed to date and had never kissed a boy in her life. Obviously though, he was sorely mistaken. She tilted her head a bit, and then receded down. "Just thought you might need some luck. Out there in the big bad world and all. Not everyone's as nice as us, you know." She added with a smile. Roy merely stared down at her, causing her to turn a steadier shade of pink. "Um… I guess I should get going now… and you should probably catch your train…" She hadn't even turned around when he grabbed both her arms and pulled her face up to his. This kiss, he made sure of, was much deeper, much more lasting. He encircled his arms around her small waist and pulled her full off the ground, leaning his head forward and brushing his tongue on her lips. When they separated, they were both searching for breath.

"Just thought I might need a little more luck than that," He shrugged.

**&&&**

So this is why neither of them have died yet.


	24. Water

A bit of Christmas for all.

**&&&**

**Theme Twenty Four: Water**

"Mmm…" She groaned as she arched her back against the desk. "Mmm…"

"Riza," He breathed heavily into her ear, "Riza, be mine…"

They didn't have much time, they both knew, the door was locked but for too long would cause suspicion. But when that glass spilled and stained her shirt it turned Roy on so much that he just had to jump on her. He lifted her and deposited her on the couch in the office that they both shared. "Roy…" She moaned, "We can't, Roy, get off…" He smiled evilly. No matter how much she protested he knew she wanted this just as badly as he did. He rid them both of clothing as quickly as possible, though in his haste not considering the table at the head of the couch, on which a half-empty glass of water resided. When he positioned his hands on the arms of the couch on either side of her head and shoved, the glass toppled over and soaked both of their naked bodies.

All Roy could do was stammer incoherently as his rushed attempts at seducing his Lieutenant were thwarted by the now empty glass. He could only stare sullenly as Riza laughed.

"Roy Mustang, you are absolutely useless in water of any kind."

**&&&**

Hangovers suck. Never go to a Christmas party with Jewish people.


	25. Not What It Looks Like

I was feeling sort of eh at eleven at night so I decided to do…what else but non-smut?

**&&&**

**Theme Twenty Five: Not What It Looks Like**

Havoc snapped his fingers. He had forgotten something, he knew it. The Colonel had forgotten a very important something or other that was due sometime between now and Thursday, all he had to do was mention it in front of Hawkeye and she'd figure out the rest.

Not bothering to knock, he grabbed the handle of the blue door that led to the office Mustang shared with his Lieutenant and pulled. "Yo, chief, forgot to tell you, there's some whatsamajigger that's- Oh. Jesus, lord of mercy…" Havoc's ever-present cigarette dropped clean on the floor. There was the chief alright, and there was Hawkeye, pinned underneath the desk with half her shirt peeled up and her hair messy. Mustang wasn't in a much better state, his face was flushed and his pants were hanging haphazardly from his waist from being yanked off obviously just moments ago. Hawkeye opened her mouth to say something when Havoc cut her off by holding up his hand. "Don't tell me. You're going to say this isn't what it looks like, right?"

Mustang answered for her. "No, I was going to say that this is _exactly_ what it looks like and that you should knock before you enter someone's private office, Havoc. Now kindly see yourself to the door while I finish up my business here."

**&&&**

Business indeed, you naughty, naughty colonel. I hope Riza rifle-whips you.

…

While you're naked.

Not just because I want to see it.

Because it would hurt more.

Yeah, that's it…


	26. Eyes

When I read the translation of that one bit of volume 15 (yes I finally got it, thank you very much. And yes, it was filled with massive amounts of Royai.) I was like, 'dude, the translators must want them together just as bad as we do'. I officially love those translators.

**&&&**

**Theme Twenty Six: ****Eyes**

The first thing Roy noticed during his reintroduction to Riza Hawkeye was that her eyes had changed, taken the same path his had. Her big brown eyes, once filled with a trusting hopefulness, were now cold and dark, with bags under them and a pale, dust coated face. All he could think about was the tragedy; even _her_ eyes had become the eyes of a murderer. The little girl who had trusted him, the young woman whose help had pushed him so far. Did she deserve the same punishment?

But all that was forgotten when he turned over and discovered that even the most tainted of souls could get lost in the eyes of a lover.

**&&&**

So… yeah. I finally got the next chapter of Shark up! I feel happy. Writers block, feel my wrath! Bwahahahahahahaaaaah.


	27. Pictures of Us

Happy 2008. May not as many people get arrested.

**&&&**

**Theme Twenty Seven: Pictures of ****Us**

There was nothing so cruel, he thought, as a picture. Something that put a chain around what might be your worst memory and yanked it out to the forefront of your mind. In the rusted golden frame that he kept underneath the mess in the bottom drawer of his desk, there was a picture, with three people in the center. One was a cheerful man, glasses shining brightly in the noonday sun and waving jovially at the camera, his other arm slung around the shoulders of a dark haired man, grinning with a handsome smile that didn't quite reach his dark eyes, adorned with bags. His arm was around the shoulder of a young woman, barely recognizable as one, with short cropped blonde hair and dark amber eyes, a small smile decorating her pale, dusty face. There was an air of sadness around the trio, weary but content. Smiling. _T__hey know they should be happy, so they try to be happy. _

The tears that dropped on the frame were shed because two of the people in the photo were gone, where they would never again display their smiles to the world.

**&&&**

This is because of all the color pages Arakawa-sensei does with Ishbal and other assorted military photos. I will only explain the ones I feel need explaining.


	28. Your Hair's Getting Long

This is one of my plot bunnies that popped into my head, like… five seconds ago.

This is why I'm broke. IMPULSES! -smack-

**&&&**

**Theme Twenty Eight: ****Your Hair's Getting Long**

"Riza?" A quiet voice whispered into the cold room. He stuck his head in to find the small girl closing her book and sliding off her bed gracefully. She nodded as he presented the large stuffed quilt and they both headed down the stairs.

The shabby brown couch, scratched and withered with years of neglect creaked as they sat down upon it. Roy leaned back against the arm closest to the window, making sure not to have Riza sit there. She folded her skirt underneath her and sat down, resting her back against the couch and facing Roy. He grabbed the blanket and threw it over both of them, tucking it between Riza and the couch and shifting to make them both comfortable. When Riza buried her head into his shoulder he knew she was content, and lie still save to put his arm around her.

"You're sure Master is gone?"

"He left this morning."

"He'll be back though."

"Noon tomorrow. We'll have plenty of time." She snuggled up against him. He smiled and looked down upon her, her long blonde hair cascading down over the back of the couch. He grabbed a few strands of it and played them around his fingers. "Your hair's getting long." He muttered absently. She nodded. "Father likes it long. He says it reminds him of mother. She had really nice long hair… down past her waist…" She yawned. He placed the hairs back down and smoothed them against her head. "I like it better short. It suits you more, I think." She blinked a few times sleepily and drifted to sleep in Roy's arms.

The next day, her father merely gaped to see his daughter with short cropped hair, not long enough to even tie back. "Riza…" He said slowly, "What did you do to your hair, young lady?" She shrugged but did not look at him. "I thought it was time for a change. It was so long it was getting in the way anyway."

**&&&**

I have another story about Riza's hair length, but I'm still working the kinks out of that one. See, I thought she would have her hair long to cover up the tattoo more. But if Roy asked her to cut it then she definitely would.


	29. The Way I Am

Maar. Sorry for no updates, I've been lurking more than reviewing lately and I know that's bad, but I just got back and I will review again. Here's some not-smut un-fluff sort of icky blurrgh.

**&&&**

**Theme Twenty-Nine****: The Way I Am**

She accepted him. That's why he left. Those few months they shared together where they grew, where she held him while he slept to calm his nightmares, where he grabbed her by the waist and spun her around in the kitchen until she was so disoriented she stabbed him with the butter knife, where they were happy. _Why do I deserve this? _He thought. _What gives me the right to be happy?_

And her. Before, they were able to hide beneath their facades as soldiers, him able to hide behind his mask and her behind hers. But when the masks came down, she couldn't be seen as a soldier anymore. She was a woman, and someone he could seriously end up falling in love with. And he simply didn't deserve it.

So he left, thinking giving up and leaving behind all that meant to him would make him strong. Thinking that all his problems would disappear, that things would be better off when he left. Of course in the back of his mind he knew, he was just being a coward; she made sure to tell him so when he came back. The only way to silence her was to press his lips to hers, and revisit the days they shared together, where he grew.

**&&&**

Man do I hate this. :D


	30. Simple and Clean

SEE I UPDATE 'CAUSE I LOVE YA. :D

**&&&**

**Theme Thirty: Simple and Clean**

The thin sheets did not keep her warm during the cold Central nights. Roy's arms did. They found their way around her arms and shoulders, pulling her into an embrace so perfect it warmed up her insides. Before he fell asleep, ignoring his protests, she peeled back the eye patch and made a gentle trail of kisses up his cheekbone, working around the rough, marred flesh until she reached his ear and whispered a soft 'I love you'.

She wanted to make him happy he decided to stay.

**&&&**

Title only so because that DAMN SONG IS _STUCK IN MY HEAD!_


	31. Can You Keep a Secret?

THE GIANTS WON! WE'RE IN THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP, BABY! IN YOUR _FUCKING FACE!_

**&&&**

**Theme Thirty One: Can You Keep a Secret?**

It wasn't planned. They had been caught at work in the rain and since Mustang didn't want to drive all the way back to the other side of town only to be all alone in his large state-mandated house they took both sides of a jacket Armstrong left that looked more like a circus tent and laughed and ran all the way to Riza's apartment. When they got there, out of breath and surprisingly dry, Riza led him over to her bed, profusely apologizing for lack of chairs and going to get them some tea. Roy merely watched her as she moved around; admiring the way the stray strands of hair framed her face and flew as she moved about. It had been years since he had seen her out of work; he had completely forgotten how beautiful she was. So when she had finished preparing the drinks and came over to serve it to him (on her bed) the tea couldn't help being left on the nightstand forgotten as he pressed her warm body against the sheets and had his lips explore her for the first time. It was all she needed.

The next morning, Roy turned over in his sleep only to come in contact with something warm and soft. He wrapped his arms around it, only to have it shuffle within his grasp. He released the woman who turned to face him agitatedly, roughly blowing a few stray hairs from her face. When they had smiled and Riza had settled down into Roy's arms, the question of what would happen next floated to the surface. All that answered was a pair of smooth lips meeting his ear whispering that they could keep a secret if he could.

**&&&**

Chapter 79. Read it. There's no Royai, but read it anyway. It's one of the awesomest things I have ever seen in my life. Only because I haven't seen Roy and Riza kiss yet. That will top this for sure. But until then, this remains one of the coolest events in FMA manga history, that I have been waiting for for years. THEY FINALLY-


	32. Forever

Well… intended to be a one shot but I need to finally update that CL story that's been inactive for… what, two years now? Pfft.

**&&&**

**Theme Thirty Two: Forever**

"Roy! Roy, _quit it!_"

"But it's such a pretty neck, I just want to tickle it a little…"

"I swear to God, Roy Mustang, if you don't stop moving those hands I'm gonna shoot them off!"

Roy smiled and fell over on the grass. "Sheesh, lighten up, Riz. I was just having a bit of fun." Riza Hawkeye blew a stray hair from her face and sat down beside him. "Yeah, well, try to come up with some fun that doesn't involve making me run around all over the place. My father's gonna notice I'm not around, soon." She finished quietly. Roy grunted and fell with his back to the grass. Riza followed him. "Please. Your dad comes out of his office, what, once a week? So what if he doesn't like me, he can go-"

"Don't talk about my father like that." Riza said rather hotly. "You know he's all I've got left. Besides, your parents aren't all that fond of me, either." Roy waved his hand nonchalantly. "Yeah, so? Not my problem what they think. Besides, I like you and you like me and that's all that matters." Riza smiled and turned on her side to face Roy. He followed suit, soon they were looking straight at each other. Roy then donned his famous egotistical smirk. "Besides, soon enough I'll be a famous alchemist. Then you and I can get out of this God forsaken place and go somewhere together. Right?" He asked a little less surely. Riza nodded. "Hey, what're friends for, right? I want to get out of here just as badly as you do. And we're gonna help people, right?" Roy smiled. "Right." He and Riza had been best friends since they were small. But soon after he turned fourteen he started to realize something very strange and new to him; Riza was a girl. Not only that, she was quite a pretty girl in her own right. Her hair was cropped short and she barely wore skirts, but she was still nice-looking. Roy had tried hard as of late to remain indifferent to her gender, but it was getting more and more difficult the more she... developed. Who wouldn't notice?

"Yeah, we'll help everybody. We can make it so... so no one like you has to go without a mother." He finished tentatively. The subject of her mother's death was almost taboo for Riza. But it was true, if there were any other little girls like Riza out there they didn't deserve to have someone dear to them taken away. But Riza only looked at him with a glowing smile on her face. "Yeah. You can do it, Roy. I have faith in you." She extended her arm to take his hand in hers. To Roy, she didn't seem to think much of it, more of a friendly gesture. To Riza, Roy looked like he was going to collapse, perhaps he didn't like her hand? Both of them were trapped, invisibly bound by each other, wondering what to do next. Roy wanted to touch her. Riza wanted to say something.

Roy won, and he kissed her.

Though neither of them would ever admit it under pain of death, they were glad that they had lost their first kisses to each other. After all, the promise they made would last forever.

**&&&**

So… yah.

I know I keep saying this over and over, but the next chapter _**NEEDS**_ to have just a _teensy_ bit of Royai. Come on Arakawa, throw us a bone!


	33. Desperate

You thought I forgot about you, didn't you?

**&&&**

**Theme Thirty Three: Desperate**

Four men and one woman rushed through the doors of Central City Hospital. The fattest man ploughed through a horde of nurses, the tall one apologized, and the small one just kept running. They finally reached room 147, where they were told to go.

"Alright, we're here!"

"Tell us where the colonel is!"

"We ran all the way!"

_"Tell us where the colonel is!"_

"Relax." The female doctor held her hand up. "Your colonel is fine. He just took a simple fall."

"Useless idiot..." The woman muttered.

"Unfortunately we're not allowed to disclose information to anyone who isn't family. Are any of you family?" She asked, looking around. The group looked at each other. None of them were blood related to the colonel. The woman however, raised her hand. "I am. I'm his wife." The shortest one made a noise but the one with the cigarette elbowed him in the ribs. Then he nodded vigorously. The doctor nodded. "Very well, you may see him first, Mrs. Mustang."

Riza nodded and pushed open the pale door. Roy looked up as the sound of the door closing awakened him from his trance. He turned to find Riza, closing the door behind him and sitting down beside his bed. He smirked at her. "So they let you in, huh? How'd you get past Doctor Nazi?" He joked. She sighed and poked his forehead. "I told her we were married and she let me in." Roy blinked at her, then smiled. "Really, you'd go to that length to see me?" He asked happily. "What did the others think of that?" This made Riza giggle a little. "Fuery made a noise that sounded like a dog being put through a washboard, but none of them took it seriously." Roy nodded and took her hand and ran his thumb over it gently. "That's good. Wouldn't want them finding out now, would we?" Riza pulled a gold chain out from under her shirt with a ring on it and played with it around her finger

"Nope. Wouldn't want that at all."

**&&&**

I'm thinking of buying the first season of Chuck on iTunes. Yes or no? I say yes.

Please, pretty pretty please, check out my deviantart. I have almost zero Royai ideas. I only have two pics up of them and I'm not happy with either of them at all.

D 

woodstock - chan . deviantart . com


	34. Story

Preggers fics are so overrated. :D

**&&&**

**Theme Thirty Four: Story**

"So, Captain, why don't you finally agree to have dinner with me tonight?" The General asked without looking up from his papers. Captain Hawkeye sighed. It had been four months since his return from the north and he still hadn't given up on winning her back. But she had more important things to do with her time than satisfy his fantasies. She shook her head causing her blonde bun to ruffle slightly. "Not today, sir."

He had grown tired of watching her walk away every afternoon without knowing where she was going. He had followed her one day and she had not gone back to her apartment. She shook him off at the train station but he did not give up that easily. He followed her down to the depot before he couldn't spot her anymore. He cursed audibly but didn't give up.

He shook Havoc down for the address that she had registered three years ago as her second residence, it was put down that it was never used. He drove all the way out to the middle of nowhere; the trains didn't have a stop for miles. This place was out of the way of everywhere. He had to wonder why Riza picked this place as her second residence.

He knocked three times on the door and tapped his foot on the wooden porch impatiently. He had to know what was so important in here that she would shoot him down continually to get it. Was there another man in there? He reached instinctively for his gloves.

When the door opened he couldn't tell who was more surprised. Him for seeing her with her hair down and in civilian clothes (sweatpants no less), or her for seeing him all the way out here and following her. He could tell from the look on her face that she was contemplating shutting and locking the door and hoping he'd go away. But she stepped aside and let him past her, into the scrubbed wooden interior of the cabin.

It was cozy, but not elegant by any means. Only a few mismatched chairs and a sofa inhabited the living space, while the kitchen was almost bare of any cooking utensils. He could hear small noises coming from the other room but thought nothing of it. "Why have you been coming out here, Riza?" He asked directly. She didn't look at his eye, her cheeks were flaming red compared to her pale face. Small padded footsteps made their way out of the bedroom adjacent and Roy's eye widened to huge proportions. Standing before him was a little girl. No older than two or three, with jet black hair and large amber eyes. She rubbed the back of her sleeve on her nose and looked expectantly up at Riza.

"You promised you'd tuck me in, mommy." She said in a tiny voice. Roy's heart melted. He looked at Riza, whose eyes seemed to be locked on him, searching the expressions that crossed his face. She swallowed and bent over to retrieve the small girl. "Jasmine, this is Mister Mustang. He's a friend of mommy's. Mister Mustang, this is Jasmine." She brushed a stray hair from the girls face. "My daughter."

Roy stopped breathing. He was no fool, he could see it. The dark hair, the shape of the face, the girl even had his mouth. He recalled the night years ago when he'd given up the call of duty for a moment and lived something with this woman that had been long overdue. That must have resulted in the tiny miracle before him. He had left before he was able to see her born. This was where Riza had been going. She let the girl down and led her towards her room. Jasmine stopped.

"Can Mister Mustang stay and hear the story too?" Jasmine asked sleepily. "Maybe he'd like a mommy to read him a story when he's sleepy." The little girl rubbed her eyes and looked at the pair. Riza looked at her daughter with sympathy. She turned to Roy. "Would... you like to stay for-?"

"Yes." He said quietly, never taking his eye off of the girl. Riza smiled softly then picked up the little girl in her arms. She sat down on the bed and Jasmine curled up into her mother's chest.

"Once upon a time..." She began, "There was a monster who lived in a forest."

"A really nice monster." The girl added in drowsily. She had heard this story many times. Her mother nodded. "Yes, a really nice monster. He was kind and gentle, but all the townspeople thought he was big and mean and scary, so they would never let him into their village. Some of them even came into the forest just to throw stones at him"

"Poor monster," Jasmine whimpered. Riza cradled her into her arms and soothed her. "Yes, he was a very sad monster. But one day, there was a beautiful princess who got lost in the monster's forest."

"Was she scared?"

"Yes, she was very scared." Riza nodded. Roy was taken aback at this gentle side of Riza, he knew it was there but the tenderness she showed to this child was incredible. "But she was a very brave princess so she did her best to find out how to get home."

"But it was a really big forest, wasn't it, mommy?" The girl asked.

"Yes, it was an enormous forest and only the monster knew the way out." She continued. "And one day, the monster found the princess, who was about to get eaten by one of the mean giants in the forest."

"And the monster saved her?"

"Mhmm. The monster rushed in and grabbed the princess and took her all the way back to his house." She adjusted Jasmine who was slipping out of her grasp. "At first the princess was afraid because of all the bad things the people said the monster did..."

"But the monster didn't do any of the things, right?" The little girl asked hopefully.

"No, he did, but it was an accident and he was sorry." Riza clarified.

"And mommy says sorry means you're not going to do something ever again and that you really really mean it." She nodded. Riza smiled. "Yes. But then the princess started to get to know the monster, and found out what a nice person he was. And when they spent time together, the princess was happy."

"And the monster was happy too, right?"

"Yes, the monster was very happy. He was glad that he had a friend now. Soon though, the princess tried to convince the monster to come live in the village with her."

"Why?"

"Well, she was tired of seeing the monster so lonely and she wanted everyone to know how nice and special the monster was."

"But the monster didn't want to go?" Riza shook her head gently. "No he didn't, he was afraid to face the people after the bad things he did and he didn't want the people getting mad at the princess for being friends with him."

"But the princess was in love with the monster, wasn't she?" Jasmine asked excitedly. This was her favorite part of the story.

"Yes, the princess had fallen in love with the monster, because she was glad that there was someone who was beautiful on the inside." She leaned in closer to her daughter. "She also thought the monster was very cute." Jasmine giggled.

"But eventually the monster gave in and she took him into the village. At first the townspeople were very very angry, they threw things at them and yelled and screamed and told them they were never allowed in their village again. But after the princess told them how the monster saved her and everything he did, some of them began to trust the monster. He showed them everything he had learned in the forest and told them stories,"

"Like the story of him and the princess!" She exclaimed. Riza shook her head. "I don't know why I tell you this story, you always get so excited and then I can never get you back to sleep!" She laughed. Jasmine crossed her arms. "Well it's still a good story. It's my favorite." Riza looked at her daughter. "I know it is sweetie. It's mine too." She kissed her forehead and placed her back onto the bed, tucking her safely into the sheets.

"Mommy, did the monster and the princess live happily ever after?" She asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes with her little hand. Riza stared at her daughter for a moment with soft eyes.

"Yes sweetie." She said in a quiet voice. "The monster and the princess were very happy."

She kissed her gently on the forehead and patted the sheets down one last time. She beckoned Roy out to the living space and turned the lamp off on her way out.

"So now you know." She said quietly, taking a seat on the couch. She folded her hands on her lap and refused to meet his gaze. He simply gazed at her longingly until he broke the silence. "Why didn't you tell me, Riza?" She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I didn't have time. You were gone before-"

"That's a lie. You had plenty of time."

"You would have hated her." She replied. Roy stared in shock. How on earth could he hate her? His own daughter? She shook her head, her blonde hair waving from side to side. "You wanted to leave. Nothing would change that. You would have grown to resent me, and you would have grown to resent that baby." She looked up at him. "Does she deserve that?" Roy looked past her, to the unshed tears he knew she was hiding. He stood and sat beside her, taking her head and placing it into his shoulder. He rubbed her side when he felt the hot tears seep into his jacket. He shuddered but took a deep breath and steadied himself.

"So... why don't you tell me about... about my daughter."

**&&&**


	35. False Substitute

Nothing to say, really...

**&&&**

**Theme Thirty Five: False Substitute**

"So you really got to spend time with the real Flame Alchemist?" Private Argent asked, shocked. It had been a week since the famed colonel had returned to central and news about his heroism had spread fast. It was now the small tidbit of fame that was dragging attention towards their small, chilly outpost.

'Yes, but like I told you, only twice a month for reports." Second Lieutenant Garner replied, sitting down on the couch opposite her friend and handing her a mug of hot cocoa. She took her own cup and stirred around the contents with a spoon. "But the times I did go he acted quite... odd."

"Odd?" Melody asked. "What do you mean odd?"

"Well..." Delilah replied, tucking a stubborn strand of her cornflower hair behind her ear, "He... Well, he invited me in- no, not like _that_, you pervert- He invited me in... and he asked if he could see my hairclip... and then, well he took my hair, you see, and he did it up like this," Delilah demonstrated by wrapping the back of her hair around her fingers and tying it up in a large bun, "And he would just _look_ at it for a while, you know? He muttered things I couldn't understand..."

Her friend shrugged. "Maybe he's an eccentric. Most famous people are, you know." She took a small sip of her cocoa and immediately receded back, scrunching up her face painfully. "Ooh, that's hot..."

Delilah sighed. "Yeah, maybe. But... I can't help feeling he was using me as a substitute for someone, you know? Like... like he was trying to use me as a replacement for someone else only it didn't work. He would always shake his head and say 'It's not the same' and then ask me to leave. So weird..."

Melody shook her head and leaned back into her couch. "I take it back, he's not an eccentric, he's just plain crazy. Now I'm going to go outside for a second and see if I can chill this cocoa down to human temperatures, 'kay?"

**&&&**

Plot bunnies seem to be randomly attacking out of nowhere. Quite strange, really...


	36. Orders

I love my new bracelets... three weeks until my birthday.

**&&&**

**Theme Thirty Six: Orders**

It was always the same excuses for soldiers. It was planned out for them, the standard answer for an unanswerable question.

"Those are the orders we were given."

"It was ordered of us."

"Orders to protect our country."

"These are our orders."

"Orders."

_Orders, orders, orders, orders, orders, orders..._ no many how many times he repeated the word in his head (That word, that one word, the more he said it the more twisted it sounded, the less convincing it became...) it didn't change a thing. Nothing happened, even though it was orders (orders, yes, but orders you didn't necessarily have to follow, really, the word sounds so odd...). So why then? Why did this pain in his chest swell and stir like a gigantic beast? Why did his heart ache so much when he knew the cause of his suffering?

Why did the only woman he ever loved have to die because of orders...?

**&&&**

I FINALLY FOUND CHAPTER 80. I think it might be my crazy frantic fangirl mind, but I saw a teensy tinsy itty bitty microscopic _hint_ of Royai. Not that Roy was anywhere to be found... But Riza is still alive, which is good. She has lived longer than expected.


	37. Bastard

Royai drabble from Ed's point of view. Not having a very nice day.

**&&&**

**Theme Thirty ****Seven****: Bastard**

I always thought of him as a heartless bastard, but after today I can't say that. Bastards don't fall in love.

I know everybody else saw it as a normal day, but I could tell. He kept looking at her from across the room, staring at her for as long as he could without a risking few extra holes in his head. That look in his eyes was so familiar it was scary. It was the same look Hoenheim gave Mom.

Yeah, I thought he was a heartless asshole too. Still do, really. But I can still remember the look on his face when he stared at Mom, watching her clean or make dinner. His eyes would glimmer for a moment and then he would start smiling. This would continue until Mom turned around and asked what he would stare at, to be answered with a singy "Nothing, Dear." Only this time it was "Nothing, Lieutenant." And the tone was a lot less singy.

But on the lieutenant's side I'm not so sure. She's a hard person to read sometimes, you know? I'm sure she's ready and willing to give up her life for him, but does that necessarily define 'love'? Couldn't it just be devotion? Or determination? Or a complete and utter lack of being able to admit you were wrong? I'm not sure, but I am sure that they've got a bond much deeper than I or anybody else is aware of.

I really want to find out so I can shove his face in it. Bastard.

**&&&**

Ar.


	38. Marriage

MUST WORK ON ODESSEY PAPER. Oh, and I officially hate Cascada. ALL HER SONGS SOUND THE SAME! AND HER BREASTS ARE OBVIOUSLY FAKE!

Thank you.

**&&&**

**Theme Thirty Eight: Marriage**

"ROY!" The little blonde girl shouted. She huffed a stray strand of hair from her eyes and glared daggers at the boy in the tree above her. "Roy Mustang, you give my book back right this instant!" The raven-haired boy just laughed. "On one condition, _Miss Hawkeye_..." He sang happily, mocking the names they were forced to call each other in public. He was her father's student, after all.

"Fine." Riza barked. "What is your condition, _Mister Mustang_?"

Roy smirked. "Marry me."

Riza's jaw dropped. Whatever answer she had been expecting, that one was not it. She cleared her throat and tried to control the color rising in her cheeks. "C-Come again? _What_ you?"

Roy grinned in a manner not befitting a thirteen-year-old, more like a lecherous old man. "Marry me. Marry me and I'll give you back your stupid book. _Or_ I could always let _Master_ see it..."

Riza's eyes widened madly. "You wouldn't." She whispered. Roy flipped open the cover to a random page and pointed to a paragraph some ways down and recited the printed words. "Ahem, _'Oh Archibald, we shouldn't, it's not right, I'm married!' Christine whispered heatedly in his ear, 'Darling, don'__t worry your lovely__ young head over such trivial matters,_ _no matter what I shall see to it that we will be together__...'__,"_

"Give that back!" Riza shouted hotly, the blush creeping up from her ears.

"_'Oh__ but Archibald,' the blonde beauty was cut off by his hot mouth upon hers..._"

"All right, all right, I'll marry you already!" The blonde screamed loudly, "Just give me back my book you _ass!_" Roy beamed proudly, but did not hand the book over. "Watch your language young lady; I might just have to punish you for it." Riza folded her arms and glowered angrily at him. If looks could kill he'd be dead a hundred times over already. "Please. You don't have the authority to punish me. Now, I said I'd marry you, now give me back my book, Roy Mustang, or so help me God I will-"

"Ah, but how do I know you'll keep your promise, hmm?" He asked maddeningly. Riza stomped her sandal-clad foot on the grassy ground. "And how do you expect me to prove it? Do you want my virginity or what?" Roy almost dropped the book. It was his turn to restrain a blush now. "Y-Your _what_?" He asked in a strangely high-pitched voice. Riza blinked for a moment, then smirked in triumph. "You know, the innocent young maiden must promise her hand in marriage to the suitor who in exchange asks for her virginity... it happens later on in that book you're holding." She teetered back and forth on the balls and heels of her feet. Roy tossed the old book down and turned away from the young girls smiling face, muttering about how ten-year-olds shouldn't be reading things like that.

**&&&**

I'm thinking of doing one related to this. Just need to find a theme name.

ODESSEY PAPER!!!


	39. Idealism

'Rosalita' is stuck in my head. My dad and I love to argue with my mom that that was the best Springsteen song ever written.

**&&&**

**Theme Thirty Nine: Idealism**

Despite all mature appearances, Roy Mustang was incredibly naïve. He was an idealist, one who saw the world for what it could be and not just what it was. That was what she loved about him. He could pick the beauty out of something, see past the dull, perhaps even depressing surface and look into the natural splendor waiting beneath. Only few were able to see that side of him, one was Maes and one was her. She loved to see him; watching, observing, tearing apart with his mind whatever natural thing he came upon. Although what she didn't know was that he watched her while she slept, quietly appreciating how some things are beautiful to begin with.

**&&&**

LOLOLOSAP. :D My newest thing is to put 'LOLOLO' in front of everything and see how long it takes people to get pissed off. Working yet?

I don't like this one very much. :/ so full of angst bunnies though, I might just post some depressing sap later.


	40. Immortal

**&&&**

**Theme Forty: ****Immortal**

Riza sighed, brushing the hair from the dark closed eyes of her superior. "You moron." She whispered, eyes bright in the dark with unshed tears. She nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck and shook. She could feel the almost nonexistent pulse of his neck, the throbbing vein only barely moving. She ran her hand over his larger and stiffer one, her fingers shaking and her voice unstable. "You useless, hopeless moron." She could almost feel his fingers intertwining with hers but she knew it wasn't real. He was dreaming.

&

_"Riza?__ Riza!"__ Roy's voice called out from the darkness._

_"Roy __stay__ back!" Riza shouted wildly. She could not see where he was, she could not even see where she was in the smoke and rubble surrounding her._

_"RIZA!__ RIZA!"__ He called __again,__ he obviously did not hear her. She did not blame him. He was now screaming frantically, she could hear the burning of wood and the thundering footsteps of her superior through the fog. A simple bomb threat should not have turned into this. She was weak on her knees and she could feel a number of broken ribs. She leaned against a disassembled post for support. Her breathing became heavy and her ears were still ringing and throbbing from the sound of the explosion. She found__ it miraculous that she was still alive, yet alone able to stand. But her commanding officer's shouts and screams were not helping the already feeble frame of the building._

_"__**RIZA!**__"__ He shouted again. She should have known he would not give up. She reached for her holster, only to find that her gun was missing. For the first time, she felt vulnerable. Her only hope now was to try to move her way around the discarded piles of wood and plaster to try and find someone, something, __anything__, Roy. _

_The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and created a prickling sensation, she turned her head sharpl__y and when she found no one she returned__ to jumping over a pile of support beams into a clearing. She could barely see the blue uniform of her colonel peering out from under a __stack of wood frames. That fool, she had told him not to follow her. _

_As soon as she opened her mouth, the sylla__ble of his name was lost on her lips as a banister came loose from the wall and crashing down upon her. She barely had time to register a pair of strong, warm arms behind her, trying vainly to push her aside. The beam came colliding down upon the pair, leaving her bloodied with a __hole in her skull and him unconscious on the floor of the old hotel._

&

Yes, Roy Mustang was dreaming in his hospital room with a mild concussion. But he would not like the reality he awoke to.

**&&&**

:D

She's dead in case you didn't catch that.

Hi!


	41. Scars

Oioioi.

**&&&**

**Theme Forty One: Scars**

He was always distant when she was taking care of him. He was quiet and somber and would not let her touch him. He was afraid of showing her his scars, for there were many of them to show. The recent ones in the battle at the Fuhrer's mansion were the worst. When she came in with a bottle of antiseptic to rub on the wounds he protested saying he would apply it himself. She shook her head and bent over him to unbutton his shirt but when he turned his head fiercely nearly knocking the bottle out of her hands she straddled his waist and looked him in the eye to ask what was wrong. He didn't respond but unbuttoned his shirt to show her the cost of their mission. She did not hesitate, but merely removed his eye patch and unbuttoned her own shirt to display her scars and told him that there was nothing to be afraid of because they were exactly the same.

**&&&**

Updates will be few and far between because I have been restricted on the computer for reasons no one needs to know.


	42. Glorified

Stoopid Laptop

**&**

**Theme Forty Two: Glorified**

He stared at it, something about it's devilish beauty intoxicated him. The ink, so neat and fresh and clean. The imagery, that animal so enticed in its element, preserved there forever as a symbol of its kind. The dark, hideous beauty captured him completely and for a moment he forgot that he was staring at the back of his best friend, his partner, his one and only trustworthy confidant in such a time as this. He forgot that she had been ruined, cursed never to be touched or held or loved, cursed never to be able to extend a wary hand to anyone who may dig deep enough to crush the shell she hid under. He forgot that she was human, and she was scared. He forgot that she was crying.

He forgot all of that, and focused in on the beauty of the red ink salamander.

**&**

I don't care what anyone says. That tattoo is RED. It HAS to be.


	43. President

This has been on my mind for a while. I thought it was rather clever.

**&**

**Theme Forty Three: President**

After all these years, he did not know what to do. He had worked for it, strived for it, toiled for half his life and here it was in his lap and he did not know what to do with it. The title, the paper was sitting right there in his lap and in the back of his head he was sure it was a joke. A prank. He didn't know what to do.

He smiled. And at the same time, he knew _exactly_ what to do.

&

"What do you think he's gonna say first?" Breda whispered feverishly to Fuery. They were on the nest above the tower on the military base, the spot reserved for the President. They had been granted this highest honor, been selected as the private staff of the president himself. Know, torn apart by anxiety and fear, they had no idea what was going to happen next. Falman was fidgeting nervously at the far left, Hawkeye, ever calm and composed, stood straight-backed and stony faced on the right side, just at the right of the president. He was surveying the ground with absent interest, the entire military assembled at his feet. They too awaited nervously, some looking apprehensive, some just plain frantic. They all were eager to hear the first assembly of the new Fuhrer-President.

"Soldiers." He began finally, in a commanding and authoritative voice. "You have all fought hard, and stood strong for your country, even through harsh criticism." This comment stirred a murmur of assent from the crowd, but Mustang continued. "I want you all to know your hard work has not been overlooked. Your work has been appreciated, even if you do not realize it." He took another glance at the front of the crowd, in which Havoc resided in his wheelchair. He took another breath and began again. "I've brought you all here today to witness my first acts as president of this country." The crowd tensed up, the chatter and murmurs evaporated quickly.

"My first proposal as president of this country," He began, enjoying the apprehensive nature of the crowd below, "Is to abolish the fraternization law, which has plagued soldiers for too long, and was never really followed anyway." The crowd roared in agreement, happiness radiating through the people below. Cheers and shouts were heard all throughout Central. Mustang made a small motion to clear his throat and the noise died down instantly. Everyone was on edge to hear what he would announce next. Roy smiled.

"My second proposal," He started again, causing a collective breath to be held, "In light of the newly abandoned fraternization law, involves this box," He produced a small black velvet box from his pocket, "And the woman directly to the right of me." Hawkeye started. She had obviously not been expecting this, even though she had known about the fraternization law. She tensed up for a moment, concerned about the direction of the conversation. Mustang turned his back to the mass of soldiers, ignored completely the presence of his trusted subordinates, and locked eyes directly with his Lieutenant. He had not promoted her yet, but that was soon to change. He opened the box with a flick of his thumb, and a gasp waved through the crowd. The light from the diamond was positively blinding, yet it was all she could stare at. Now she too, was oblivious to the world surrounding them. All that existed was this man, and the ring he was presenting to her. The knowledge of how to breathe seemed to abandon her completely.

Her last desperate hope was flung to the wind when he took a step forward and bent on his right knee in front of her. She simply stared blankly, her arms hanging useless at her sides, her entire body going numb, eyes fixed on the ring in the box. Her reaction did not go unnoticed, Roy's grip on the box tightened. He pressed on nonetheless.

"My first question, as the president of this country," He breathed, in a voice meant only for her, "is to ask you, Lieutenant, to become my wife."

The silence rang in the ears of the crowd. The silence was palpable, the tension radiating off the rooftop of the tower. After what seemed like an eternity, the diamond ring flashed to the crowd on the left hand of First Lieutenant Hawkeye.

**&**

Tee hee.


	44. The Color Red

No comment. PROCRASTINATING.

Fliberdegibbedoom.

**&**

**Theme Forty Four: The Color Red**

Roy Mustang, as a general rule, had always hated the color red.

Red was the color of fire, and of dusk. Red was the color of eyes, eyes he saw in his nightmares every time he closed his own. Red was the color of the sky, right after a strong onslaught of pain and suffering. The sky knew, it saw what mortals could not. Red was the color of the ground, the cracked and godless ground, awash with dust and dirt and bodies. Red was the color of sin, the color of hell, the color of hurt and of anguish and of misery. Red was the color of blood, seeping from the would on her perfect face, red was the color staining her hands, red was soaking through her golden hair and overtaking her perfect form.

Roy Mustang, as a general rule, had always hated the color red.

**&**


	45. Dying Wish

I actually wrote this WAYYYY in advance… but I had to write it down before I forgot it…

This was intended to be something completely different. Fuck that.

**&**

**Theme Forty Five: Dying Wish**

They had finally done it. And after all the hard work, the grueling hours and the dedication, all Roy Mustang got in return was a last wish before the firing squad. He had already made sure he was the only one to stand trial. He had no wishes. But on the day of the execution, he did get a morbid blow.

"Major Elizabeth Catherine Hawkeye is also to be executed this morning."

The shock these words caused took a few moments to sink in. All of his indignant protests, however, fell on deaf ears. "Major Hawkeye is also charged with treason against our country. She has requested her execution to be on this same morning, in this same room. That is all we grant." Mustang smiled bitterly. Always as his right hand, even to the very end…

As the squad prepared their guns, and Hawkeye was placed in the chair beside him, he got an idea. "Sir, I'm calling in my last wish," He said to the shock of the General, "I want Major Hawkeye to be the one to shoot me." He heard a disbelieving sputter beside him. "Sir, I can't--"

"We made a promise. You would be the one to kill me, remember? Do you intend to break that now?" She looked forward towards the squad, then back at him. "I'm not breaking anything," she said, "You haven't strayed, and we're going to die together."

Mustang stared for a few moments, then smiled. "Fine. Then I'd like to change my wish."

Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye died in each others arms.

&

This is oooolllddd.


	46. After a Long Wait

Chapter 87 made me die of win and happy, so I had to write this. Sorry about the lack of Royai in my diet lately, I really don't know what made me lose it. :(

MOVING ON.

&

Theme Forty Six: After a Long Wait

Ed strolled pleasantly down the halls of Central as Al hummed a merry tune. They were in a good mood, which was surprising considering who they were here to see.

Ed stopped suddenly as he caught sight of someone familiar. His face broke into a smile. "Hey, Colonel Mustang!" No reply. "Colonel! Oh, for the love of-- COLONEL MUSTANG!" He shouted.

The colonel turned around and looked over her shoulder. Riza's lips quirked upward happily. "Hello Edward. Alphonse. Nice to see you back here again." She turned around fully to face him. "So how's Winry?"

Ed's face lost all its previous cheer. "Same as she was the last time you saw her. Pregnant." He scowled.

His brother chuckled. "Aw, is the big bad Fullmetal Alchemist afraid of a little baby?" Al laughed. "What, are you afraid it isn't yours or something?" Ed yanked, hard, on his brothers auburn ponytail. Al let out a yelp of pain, Riza swatted Edward's hand. "No roughhousing in here boys." She scolded maternally. "Now, I assume you're here to meet The Fuhrer-"

"You're corrupt stupid jackass of a husband." Edward paraphrased. Riza ignored him.

"And he's in his office. Lieutenant Colonel Elric I'll have no more of this from you. Next slight and my corrupt stupid jackass of a husband will have you out on your ass." She said authoritatively.

Ed gaped. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, I don't know." Riza smiled thoughtfully. "I'm thinking he might be more inclined to listen to me than you, since I'm the one who,"

"If you finish that sentence, I will vomit." Ed interrupted.

"I wouldn't be one to talk if I were you Edward." Roy cooed evilly behind him, causing he and his brother to jump. "I'm not the one who impregnated my girlfriend, now am I?"

"Up yours, President Bastard." He spat. Roy chuckled.

"Now normally, I'd take this prime opportunity to make a short joke, but I'd rather rub it in your face that I have a smoking hot wife and you are afraid of a baby that hasn't even been born yet. I feel bad for the poor kid. He'll probably be a midget."

&

I love EdWin much more now since that Topless!Winry scene with Ed there. I just kind of spasmed on the ground laughing when I saw it.

SPOILER!THEPLOTTWISTISYOU'READOPTED!SPOILER


	47. Of Deadly Sins

**Theme Forty Seven: Of Deadly Sins**

&

Roy Mustang was raised to pity sinners. Not to hate them, for they did not deserve hate, but to pity them, as they will never enjoy their lives.

He did not hate the greedy shopkeeper. He would never give him the extra pence he said he collected from his mother every week but he knew he had his reasons for asking for it.

He did not hate the arrogant tax collectors child. He knew he was there, standing a few paces away, displaying his fancy new stick horse with silk reigns and soft fur while Roy had no stick horse at all, but he also knew the child was lonely because his father was never home.

He did not hate the lazy beggar. He heard the other people chastise the poor man for never doing work, "Maybe if he got off his ass he'd have a living by now," they said. But Roy knew that was not the case.

He did not hate the jealous soldier. He knew he just wanted to walk freely again, instead of being confined in those blue woolen prisons. He felt more pity for the soldier than anyone.

Roy had never been weighed down by greed, or envy, or laziness, or gluttony or even pride. He was taught to look down on those who were.

It was the damndest thing. Once he had found the courage it was taken away. Once he had found the answer it was no longer applicable. Once he found his lover there was no Riza. There was only Lust.

&

Based on this fuckin' psycho dream I had where Riza became the new Lust. Weeeeiiiirrrddd...


	48. Dandelions

**Theme Fourty Eight: Dandelions  
**

_"You Hate Me and I Hate You"_  
****

**_&_**

"I hate you."

"Mhmm."

"Do you even care?"

"I care a lot."

"Then why don't you answer me?"

"Because you don't hate me."

"Yes I do."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"I," Riza began, "Bet you all the money in the world that you won't be able to stay hating me for a whole week."

"You're on." Roy affirmed, looking back to his fishing rod. "But I do hate you. And I'm gonna hate you forever."

So for the next five days, Roy Mustang was forced to pretend that he hated his best friend. He stuck his tongue out at her, he put bugs on her bike, made faces at her in class and he flipped up her skirt on occasion when he was sure she couldn't catch him. But, by the end of the week, he was incredibly and physically lonely. He was afraid to go over to her house and play now, because the fear of what she might do to him was overwhelming. He bit his lip. The only reason Roy had put up this stupid stunt in the first place was because he wanted to see how much Riza would miss him if he wasn't her friend anymore. Obviously, of course, this plan wasn't exactly as foolproof as he had hoped. Instead of proving how much she liked him, he instead created a situation where she would never want to see him again. Roy crossed his his arms contemplatively. He needed a way to make it up to her, or at least make her forget how mad she was at him temporarily, until her anger was at least partially dispelled. He looked around. There had to be something he could do, something that only Riza would like, that would clear his name in her eyes.

His eyes rested upon their favorite lake. They had visited there so often because it was just at the bottom of the hill Riza's house lay on. He saw a patch of wet grass next to the river, somehow, brightly colored and flat. He narrowed his eyes. In the damp section of grass was a large growth of dandelions. Roy smiled. Dandelions were Riza's favorite flower. He remembered her eyes widening in joy when they found one in the school playground, closing them to stir up a wish and, once she had one, puffing up her cheeks and blowing as hard as she could. He also remembered the sad look on her face when one single seed remained clinging to the fluffy white orb. Roy, in a moment of empathy and chivalry, huffed the last one off quickly while her eyes were closed. When she looked again, her carmine eyes danced and she smiled, obviously excited for her wish.

Roy jumped to his feet and dashed to the muddy patch of grass and muck. He padded carefully, trying and eventually failing to keep his trousers clean as he waded through the dirt. After a sordid affair with the marsh of angry soil, he finally emerged victorious with the small yellow flower. He brushed off his pants (for what little good it did him) and trudged up the hill to Riza's house.

After pounding on the door with the large intricate brass knocker, and waiting for an awkwardly long time, the door opened, revealing Riza, looking quite miffed in her little brown jumper. Roy swallowed, and without saying another word presented her with the flower. Riza assessed it for a full thirty seconds before snatching it gingerly from his hands and blowing as hard as she could. Roy shut his eyes as the small seeds flew in all directions, the wind carrying them past his face. When he opened his eyes, not a single stem remained. Roy smiled, believing he had been forgiven. "So what did you wish for?" He asked, assured of his safety.

Riza grinned maliciously. "I wished that your legs hurt."

After a few moments of pleasant bemused grins, Roy made a mad dash for the other direction, with Riza hot on his heels.

**&**

GUYS GUYS GUYS I'M SO SORRY. I just couldn't find my bffs the royai plot bunnies and then I'm all "Well if I don't have my plot bunnies than my writing will be crap D8" so I waited for them to come back but then LOOK WHAT I FOUND IN MY GOOGLE DOCS YOU GUYS.

I have like four of them. Enjoy.


	49. Dresses

**Theme Forty Nine: Dresses**

_"Forgetful"_

_**&**  
_

Roy Mustang hated red. He hated the color, he hated the word, he hated everything about it. He hated it up until Riza came out of the woman's locker room in that high-backed red dress with a slit up the side and a neckline that might as well have screamed "Hi, my eyes are up here, thanks". She looked... well, she looked completely hot, for one. Her hair was down, and slightly wavy in the places that were usually forced up into a harsh plastic clip every day. Her lips were unpainted, but her cheeks were dabbed with the slightest bit of pink. Roy was completely taken aback.

"You know... It's only a semi-formal dance." He clarified. "A formality for the goons from Central. You don't... you know... have to,"

"This is the only dress the store had that would accommodate my holster." She said airily, pulling down the side with the slit. Through the fabric, he could see a slight bulge where her pistol undoubtedly lay. He chuckled. Of course she bought the most unpractical dress East City had to offer for the most practical reason. Besides, he smiled to himself as he offered his arm for her to take; it wasn't as if anyone sane in East Headquarters had so much lost their will to live that they would stare at her cleavage anyway.

**&**

STILL IN THE PROCESS OF APOLOGIZING BRB.


	50. Follow Me

**Theme Fifty: Follow Me**

Roy Mustang had come to terms with the fact that he would never, ever be rid of her.

He would never shed that second pair of footsteps. He would always hear her voice in the back of his head, gently chastising him for his latest misdemeanor or seemingly ludicrous action. He would forever see her out of the corner of his eye even if she wasn't there. Her overwhelming, protective presence would burden him for the rest of his days, whether he liked it or not.

But it's not as though he really minded. He had told her to follow him, and she agreed.

&

HA. HA HA.

I am trying to make up for lost time.


	51. Protector

**Theme Fifty-One: Protector**

When he faced it for the first time, he wasn't sure what to think. His mind had been brimming with all the information she had suddenly drowned him in, and when she finally removed her shirt with only the slightest undertone of shame in her movements he simply stared in awe at the intricate beauty of it. But now, as her coat and jacket and shirt littered the floor like so many scattered useless things and she bore herself to him, her movements carried no shame, only emptiness. And how he was very sure that there was only one thing to think.

"I can't do this," he finally confessed, and he wasn't sure if he was talking to her back or to her.

"You have to," she said with the same emptiness. And he knew that every hint of the girl he once knew was lost, even more lost than she had been when he returned and her eyes had lost all their previous luster; for in that time she had been wounded and branded with something she couldn't even begin to understand. He remembered then feeling like a part of him had broken. That was only a small chip compared to the wreckage he faced now.

"You don't understand," he said hollowly, staring at her as though she were a stranger. And in some way, she was now. He couldn't even bring himself to say her name, for fear that it would be wrong now. "You can't just ask me to burn indiscriminately, as if you're not..." he swallowed, not really sure what he was going to say. He wasn't even sure he was supposed to say anything at all.

"I'm not anything, Major," she said in the most painfully empty voice he could imagine. "And it's your job to burn indiscriminately."

Roy visibly flinched and weakened, and took comfort in the fact she couldn't see that what she said hurt him. His job. His _duty._ But he had been given a duty before that. A duty to protect her. And now the two sides were about to crash together in a battle he couldn't begin to predict the outcome of.

But he knew. He knew when she turned her head just a quarter of an inch, just enough to face him and the deep emptiness of her eyes that he knew could convince him of anything met his that his duty to her came first. And if he closed his eyes and shut them tight he could convince himself that what he was doing was protecting her.

"Do it," she hissed through clenched teeth prepared to inhale a year's worth of pain.

Roy Mustang closed his eyes, and protected.

&

Originally this was going to be titled something different, but given the way it turned out I decided to change it. I liked that theme though, so it will probably turn up later.

Oh, and the new anime proved me right. The tattoo is red. Thank you, new anime.


	52. Side by Side

**Theme Fifty-Two: Side by Side**

In addition to being his confidant, Riza Hawkeye was also his shadow. She was the strong, protective charm that hovered over him like the sweetest prayer; walking just a step behind him to make sure his back was safe. To fulfill a promise, he always thought. They had made a pact, that day, and it had been honored.

_(The sun shone, filtered through the streaks on the window behind him as the light spilled on the floor and on her figure in front of the desk, somehow taller and older than when he had last seen her. She brought her hand to her forehead naturally, as if she had been doing it all her life. And he knew, right then, what he had to do, and in the back of his mind he had always known.)_

When he was home alone, or when he found his office strangely empty _(for it hadn't always been like this, had it?)_, he felt as if he was bare. Uncovered to the world, and he was afraid.

_(He remembered how warm he had felt when they were children, when he walked by her side on the way to the corner store, or when they went down to the hill while she read books and he skipped stones and the feeling he got while he loomed over her was fairly empowering.)_

But the positions had changed since then. Now she was the one looming, and he knew what it felt like to be the protected one.

_(But there was a big difference, a huge difference, he had been at her side when they were small; now she's always an arm's reach away right behind him and that length is far too much for his comfort.)_

There was nothing he could do at this point. They had become stuck in their pattern, him leading the way, her following just that far behind him, echoing his movements like a mother who was so sure her child would get in trouble that she had taken to following him wherever he went. And it pained him to have her at that distance, because the farther away she was the more exposed he became.

_(Perhaps one day, after their promise has been fulfilled and her role changes once again they can break the chain of inequality and she can walk proudly by his side, instead of behind him.)_


	53. Duet

**Theme Fifty Three: Duet**

The way they moved together was music. The way a sweet song traveled through the air and filled the heads of all who heard it, his flames directed by her voice flew forward without hesitation or fear of judgment. Alone, their actions were just simple things, like a singer with no music. But together, the power in their movements was like an orchestra; loud and brave and confident.

The feeling of her calloused hands on the sleeve of his jacket is the strings, directing and pulling him towards his target with accuracy only a hawk's eye could provide. Her voice was the percussion, an outside force calling him into action; almost rhythmic in its repetition and consistency. His fingers were the brass, resonating in the air around him with a sweet sound that was more than just friction and the snapping of fingers. And finally, the woodwinds entered just in time for the finale, the column of flame that was created as thanks for their efforts.

The sounds they created were for them and them alone. An unwritten symphony whose notes and lyrics were constantly shifting and changing in a way that only they knew. No one could sing along, chime in or expand upon it, for it was perfect the way it was. The perfect meshing of voices and sounds and movements and imagery that was made up of only Hawkeye and Mustang and filled the air so fluidly that people around it had no choice but to stop and stare and _listen_.

xxx

They got rid of my ampersand. Assholes.


	54. Flesh Wound

**Theme Fifty Four: Flesh Wound**

There were scars that plastered the surface of their skin. There were tears and bits of flesh missing from their bodies, rendering them incomplete. Those parts would always be lost to them. Wounds inflicted upon themselves, upon each other, were destined never to heal as long as they lived.

To remind her of the cost of her happiness, the price of her freedom, Riza Hawkeye has an angry red burn mark covering the better part of her back. Her left shoulder is completely engulfed in the scarred flesh; burnt and unrecognizable to the human eye. One searing, disfiguring mark covering another. This is Riza Hawkeye's scar.

As the equivalent exchange for the protection of his comrades, Roy Mustang has a sizeable section of seared flesh on the left side of his abdomen. Mostly it has healed, but the ghost of the original wound remains, printed permanently on the otherwise impressive display of skin and muscle. This was the price he paid for getting in over his head. This is Roy Mustang's scar.

They were plastered over the surface of their skin. They were missing, torn from their bodies, and would always be lost. But if you put the pieces together, they became one person, complete.

**x**

GOD I LOVE GLEE.


End file.
